I know that's an understatement, but they really do. My computer just got hit with a real nasty one and I just spent the past couple of hours a nervous wreck trying to resolve it. I did a System Restore and everything seems to be fine now, but I wont be completely secure until I find out what happened. Right now, I just want sleep.
Not the End
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Turtles Forever Review
I'm a huge Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fan.
I mean, really huge. Anybody who's known me for more than five minutes can attest to this. I can't explain exactly why, but Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael have been my favorite characters for as long as I can remember...
I loved it. To this day it's still my favorite TV show of all time. It was funny, clever, and had a spectacular voice cast. It spawned a franchise and hooked kids like crack, I was no exception. I saw all three movies, I played with the toys, I played the video games, I was in deep. Shortly after the cancellation of the cartoon, Saban attempted a live action series called Ninja Turtles the Next Mutation....but the less said about that the better.
As I got older I discovered the comic books...
I mean, really huge. Anybody who's known me for more than five minutes can attest to this. I can't explain exactly why, but Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael have been my favorite characters for as long as I can remember...
Cute, 'eh?
My first introduction to the Turtles came, like most people, through the 1987 cartoon series....
As I got older I discovered the comic books...
I was surprised how different they were from the cartoon. This comic was darker, the violence was more realistic, and the characters were deeper and more complex. Though more mature, the series still had some fun stories and had a certain charm the cartoon didn't. I loved it. In 2003 an new TMNT cartoon series debuted....
This series followed the comic more closely, even adapting most of it's stories into episodes, all while creating a world of it's own. While lacking the same appeal of the old series, this show excelled in action and storytelling....at least for the first 4 seasons. Finally it ended in 2008.
Ever since the announcement of the big TMNT 25th Anniversary celebration, Mirage Studios hinted at a big project that was coming. That project was later revealed to be an original animated movie. We fans went crazy with speculation. Some thought it would be a big finale to the 2003 series, others thought it would be an adaptation of the first issues of the comics, but we were not prepared for what it really was. This movie would be what fans have been waiting for since 2003. All the different versions of the TMNT, rolled up into one kick ass package. Enter...Turtles Forever!
Well, now that we got all the exposition out of the way, we can finally get to the review, which will be spoiler free.
The plot is thus, while trying to stop The Shredder and Krang's latest nefarious plot, the 1987 Ninja Turtles, along with the Technodrome and everyone it in, get's sucked through Krang's Transdimensional Portal and wind up in the universe of the 2003 Ninja Turtles. The two versions soon meet up and....hilarity ensues. Meanwhile, The Shredder and Krang decide to seek out the 2003 universe's Shredder, which soon proves to be a mistake as he kicks their asses and takes over the Technodrome, vowing to destroy all Ninja Turtle life, starting with the source, the original 1984 comic book TMNT.
Let me say this right now....I fucking love this movie. This movie hit all the right the notes for me, for evey Turtles fan. For the first time, 4Kids did something right. They took everything the fans love about the franchise and threw it into this movie. It's clear they actually put care and effort into this.
The story, while not completely original, is still gripping and fun. It may be somewhat predictable, but it's never dull. The writing is, dare I say, actually funny. Legitimately funny. And not just in a kiddie, poop and fart joke kind of way, but a truly well scripted and clever sort of way. The humor comes from the vastly conflicting styles of both teams of Turtles. The 2003 Turtles are essentially the "straight men" while the 1987 Turtles are the goofy ones, a little too goofy at times, but nothing polarizing. They joke around, they rarely take anything seriously, and, as expected, they obsess over pizza. The 2003 Turtles, meanwhile, have to put up with their antics. There are tons of inside jokes for the fans here, Donatello's nonsensical inventions that somehow work, Raphael's habit of breaking the fourth wall, April constantly needing saving, Shredder's incompetence, every little thing is touched upon here and made fun of, but with love rather than spite. It's basically a roast of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Granted there's more fun being poked at the old cartoon, but really there's just more to make fun of there. And like I said, it's nothing harsh, it's all done with love. The reactions of the 2003 Turtles to all the ridiculousness are just truly priceless.
All the main characters are here. The Turtles Splinter, April, Casey, Shredder, Karai, and Hun from the 2003 series and The Turtles, Splinter, April, Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady from the 1987 series, also some surprise cameos from other bit players int he show. Everyone is pretty much in character, including the 87 Turtle characters, their personalities are in full display here(even down to Leonardo's lack of a personality) which is very comforting to see. Plus the design of the 87 characters are spot on, looking like they came right out of the show. And they somehow manged to keep their designs from the clashing with the 2003 designs. Nothing feels out of place, truly great work on the artists part.
My favorite part without a doubt is when the 8 Turtles meet up with the Mirage Comics Turtles, referred to here as Turtle Prime. When they come onto the scene, it's just pure win. True to the original incarnations, these Turtles are darker, violent, spout ridiculous Frank Miller-ish lines of dialogue, and narrate while fighting. It's hard to keep a straight a face, they're completely the original TMNT to a tee. And true to the comics, the Turtle Prime world is in black and white. It looks so perfect it makes me wish they did do an adaption of the original comics.
The voice acting has been a much talked about issue about this movie, and brings up my only real gripe with it. While the cast from the 2003 series returns, the 1987 series don't reprise their roles here. Due to all those voice actors being union actors, 4Kids didn't deal with them, instead bringing in new people to mimic their voices. While not horrible, Raphael and April's are near perfect in fact, they still not the originals, which his kinda sad because it keeps this movie from being truly perfect. It would have been such a treat to hear Cam Clarke, Townsend Coleman, Barry Gordon, Rob Paulsen, Rene Jacobs, Pat Fraley, Peter Renaday, and James "Uncle Phil" Avery resume their famous roles one more time. Still, while noticeable, it still doesn't detract from how awesome this movie is.
The animation is in top form here, it's better than it's ever been before, and it's nice to see the 87 Turtles in an actual, non choppy, fight scene. They actually move normally, it's so refreshing. The fight scenes are back to that same great caliber as those of the 2003 series' first five seasons. The art design is also in top form here as the three major worlds of the TMNT are recreated here in stunning detail.
It was announced a few months ago that Peter Laird has sold all intellectual rights to the TMNT to Viacom, so last year marked the end of the Mirage era of TMNT. 25 years, and I've fortunately been alive for 21 of them, and this movie was the perfect swan song. Everything is touched upon here, except Next Mutation. It was more than any TMNT fan could hope for. On top of that it's just a fun movie. The story is simple, but effective, the writing is funny, the animation is great, it just hits on all the right levels. Every TMNT will love this, you feel like a kid again after seeing it, I know I had to restrain myself from yelling "Cowabunga" after it was over. This movie pretty much marks the Turtles of our generation, and while sad, it's comforting to know that the TMNT will be introduced to a whole new generation, thus beginning the cycle anew. It's like the title said, the Turtles are forever. The characters have so much appeal, and this movie makes it all the more obvious.
I'm giving this movie a 9 1/2 out of 10. The voice acting is the only thing keeping this movie from being perfect. However, the five year old kid in me who ate, slept, and breathed Ninja Turtles gives this movie a perfect 10. I thank everyone involved with this movie for truly epic experience and I thank Kevin Eastman, Peter Laird, and everyone involved creatively with the TMNT for the past 25 years for everything. It was a shell of a good ride and this movie was the perfect way to close it out. It's my new favorite movie of all time.
Turtle Power
Saturday, January 23, 2010
WAR!!!!
So today I'm scoping out Twitter, and I happen to see a post by Jonathan Coulton(@jonathancoulton), showing a picture of him and Adam Savage from Mythbusters. At first I think the pic is cool, but then I noticed something....
HE'S STOLE MY POSE!
My signature pose, the one that's brought me untold fame and fortune. Observe...
Now you may be saying, "hey it's not the same, he's doing a thumbs up instead of a point", but to you I say...SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH! That's besides the point. It's the principle of the thing, clearly he's trying to cover his tracks. Well, I refuse to let him get away with this.
DO YOU HEAR ME JONATHAN COULTON! IF IT'S WAR YOU WANT....THEN IT'S WAR YOU GET! TO AAAAAAAAAAAAARMS!!!!
Not the End, not by a long shot.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Riding in a Car with Riding in Cars with Boys
I really posted this earlier, but I'm lazy, so it can't be helped.
Saturday a couple of friends of mine whom I know from FRED (htto://www.asitecalledfred.com) by the names of Mike and Kasey came in to LA and, for whatever reason, wanted to take a poor black child from the ghetto and show him a city of dreams.
Okay not really, but we hung out for the day. It was really cool. We hit up a couple of comic book stores because we're geeks and as geeks we're legally obligated to do so. Went to Meltdown comics for the first time, it was interesting. I got to see a lot of cool shit I can't afford right now. I also took them to one of the best Chilli places of all time, and as expected, I think I got them hooked.
On the way back from Meltdown is where it got interesting. We had a fun hour or two hour drive trying to find the 10 freeway. We ended up getting to see more of LA than I thought, though not intentionally. But while we were driving around aimlessly we recorded and episode of Riding in Cars with Boys (Mike and Kasey's podcast) that can be found here: http://ridingincars.podbean.com/
All in all, I had a really fun time, I hope we can hang out again, only this time with a better sense of were we're going.
Saturday a couple of friends of mine whom I know from FRED (htto://www.asitecalledfred.com) by the names of Mike and Kasey came in to LA and, for whatever reason, wanted to take a poor black child from the ghetto and show him a city of dreams.
Okay not really, but we hung out for the day. It was really cool. We hit up a couple of comic book stores because we're geeks and as geeks we're legally obligated to do so. Went to Meltdown comics for the first time, it was interesting. I got to see a lot of cool shit I can't afford right now. I also took them to one of the best Chilli places of all time, and as expected, I think I got them hooked.
On the way back from Meltdown is where it got interesting. We had a fun hour or two hour drive trying to find the 10 freeway. We ended up getting to see more of LA than I thought, though not intentionally. But while we were driving around aimlessly we recorded and episode of Riding in Cars with Boys (Mike and Kasey's podcast) that can be found here: http://ridingincars.podbean.com/
All in all, I had a really fun time, I hope we can hang out again, only this time with a better sense of were we're going.
Ahh the memories
Oh, and we saw Nick Carter, later I found out he isn't the one who beat Shaq. Go figure.
Not the End
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Really Marvel?
This article on Newsarama really surprised me.
To sum it up, Marvel wants comic book dealers to take all their unsold copies of these six DC comics...
Adventure Comics #4
Booster Gold #26
Doom Patrol #4
Justice League Of America #39
Outsiders #24.
R.E.B.E.L.S #10
rip off the covers and send them into them. For every 50 they get they'll send the stores 1 copy of Siege #3 with a Deadpool variant cover.
I just got ask, why Marvel? Are they really desperate? It should be worth noting that the issues listed above were tie-ins to DC's big event "Blackest Night", and each came with a different replica power ring. Marvel must really be scared of Blackest Night. Granted, from a business stand-point, it's smart. But at the same time, also sad. Do they have that much lack of faith in their even that they have to resort to ripping apart issues of the competition's books to sell their stories? And besides, didn't they learn their lesson about variant covers back in the 90's?
I'm not trying to be a Marvel hater, but this act kinda shows that DC might have their number. All DC needs is better exposure and they could start topping Marvel in the sales, they've done it before.
Not the End, True Believers
To sum it up, Marvel wants comic book dealers to take all their unsold copies of these six DC comics...
Adventure Comics #4
Booster Gold #26
Doom Patrol #4
Justice League Of America #39
Outsiders #24.
R.E.B.E.L.S #10
rip off the covers and send them into them. For every 50 they get they'll send the stores 1 copy of Siege #3 with a Deadpool variant cover.
I just got ask, why Marvel? Are they really desperate? It should be worth noting that the issues listed above were tie-ins to DC's big event "Blackest Night", and each came with a different replica power ring. Marvel must really be scared of Blackest Night. Granted, from a business stand-point, it's smart. But at the same time, also sad. Do they have that much lack of faith in their even that they have to resort to ripping apart issues of the competition's books to sell their stories? And besides, didn't they learn their lesson about variant covers back in the 90's?
I'm not trying to be a Marvel hater, but this act kinda shows that DC might have their number. All DC needs is better exposure and they could start topping Marvel in the sales, they've done it before.
Not the End, True Believers
The Squirrel Agenda
As promised, here is my continuation of my expose against our future furry oppresors.
The Squirrels have long sought the total destruction of the human race, but have been smart about it. Squirrels abhor human technology, instead prefering thier own, seemingly primitive technological advances that is based around nuts. Yes, common nuts you'd fin on trees, Squirrels have developed everything from high powered death rays to super computers to toaster ovens using the common nut.
George Washington Carver, one of our nations very first Squirrel oposers, was long considered an enemy to their Republic.Carver was the master of the peanut, and nothing disgusts a Squirrel more than the peanut, or "the stale imitation" as we managed to decipher that they refer to it as. History has forgotten Carver's battles with the furry ones. He developed 100 different peanut products...one of which was a atomic disruptor that liquefied anything in seconds, to which he named "The Business". He, alongside Nikolai Tesla and his experimental robotic battle armor, battled against a battalion of American Red Squirrel shock troops alongside the Canadian border in an attempt to shut down one of their main power plants. The two men alone managed to exterminate some 562 Squirrel soldiers and destroy the plant, forcing their retreat. The squirrel's defeat would not go unavenged however. Years later Carver would suffer a "bad fall" that ultimately claimed his life. Later investigations revealed a set of mall, dirty paw prints near the stairs and a note left behind that, when translated, read "We Never Forget".
Carver and Tesla were not the only ones to stand against the evils and atrocities of the Furry Reich. They were part of a top secret organization dedicated to opposing the Squirrel's rise to power known only as N.O.R.M (Nations Opposing Rodentia Masterhood). Needless to say, beyond that I can't reveal anymore. But I can say that this group stretches all over the world, but the group's focus remains strongly in America, where the Squirrel's power is greatest.
Next time: I shall go in-depth with the different factions of the Squirrel Republic.
Not the End
The Squirrels have long sought the total destruction of the human race, but have been smart about it. Squirrels abhor human technology, instead prefering thier own, seemingly primitive technological advances that is based around nuts. Yes, common nuts you'd fin on trees, Squirrels have developed everything from high powered death rays to super computers to toaster ovens using the common nut.
George Washington Carver, one of our nations very first Squirrel oposers, was long considered an enemy to their Republic.Carver was the master of the peanut, and nothing disgusts a Squirrel more than the peanut, or "the stale imitation" as we managed to decipher that they refer to it as. History has forgotten Carver's battles with the furry ones. He developed 100 different peanut products...one of which was a atomic disruptor that liquefied anything in seconds, to which he named "The Business". He, alongside Nikolai Tesla and his experimental robotic battle armor, battled against a battalion of American Red Squirrel shock troops alongside the Canadian border in an attempt to shut down one of their main power plants. The two men alone managed to exterminate some 562 Squirrel soldiers and destroy the plant, forcing their retreat. The squirrel's defeat would not go unavenged however. Years later Carver would suffer a "bad fall" that ultimately claimed his life. Later investigations revealed a set of mall, dirty paw prints near the stairs and a note left behind that, when translated, read "We Never Forget".
Carver and Tesla were not the only ones to stand against the evils and atrocities of the Furry Reich. They were part of a top secret organization dedicated to opposing the Squirrel's rise to power known only as N.O.R.M (Nations Opposing Rodentia Masterhood). Needless to say, beyond that I can't reveal anymore. But I can say that this group stretches all over the world, but the group's focus remains strongly in America, where the Squirrel's power is greatest.
Next time: I shall go in-depth with the different factions of the Squirrel Republic.
Not the End
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Your Boy Was on a Podcast!
So last night I guest hosted a podcast called Instant Leftovers with a couple of pals of mine Scott White (@Scott_WhiteAhh on Twitter) and Ramon Villalobos(@RamonVillalobos on Twitter). I gotta say it was fun. Much was discussed, including donuts, comics, and I explain why all black people are good at basketball.
Look for it soon here: http://instantleftoverspodcast.podbean.com/
Not the End
Look for it soon here: http://instantleftoverspodcast.podbean.com/
Not the End
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
My Top 10 Favorite Films of 2009
Yeah I'm doing one.
Before I get into it, let me get the Honorable Mentions out of the way. I loved these flicks, but they just didn't make the cut:
Green Lantern First Flight, Observe and Report, Sherlock Homes, Avatar, and Inglorious Basterds
10. Paranormal Activity
I believed everything about this movie. Nothing felt fake, or forced, I was genuinely terrified. I could feel myself tense up at all the right parts, very well put together. I would dare say it's my favorite horror film of all time, mainly because it focuses on the horror.
9 Superman/Batman Public Enemies
I'm a big fan of the Superman/Batman dynamic, I thought it was really utilized well here. I felt the film was better than the book, and made more sense. Aside from some complaints about the animation and the waste of Levar Burton's talent, I still felt this movie got it right. Plus it's always great to hear Tim Daly, Clancy Brown, and Kevin Conroyback in their respective roles/
8. District 9
This was such an amazing movie. In terms of filmaking, this is probably the best film on my list. It's well acted, it's got a strong message, and the action scenes are just badass. I really hope this flick gets a Best Picture nod. Hell, I hope it wins.
7. Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
I love Miyazaki. So it's no surprise I loved this flick. It was sweet, had a great story, the animaton is absolutely beautiful. I can't find anything wrong with it. It's standard Miyzaki, it's epic. I'm still hesitent to call it the best animated movieof the year, but it's the best one I've seen.
6. Wonder Woman
As amazing as Ponyo was, I still really love Wonder Woman a little more. Being a comic geek it's no surprise I dig this movie, but I also dig it as an animation fan. It's got a great, simple story that does an excellent job at introducing Wonder Woman and her supporting cast, it's got great voice acting, great animation, and it's genuinely funny when it wants to be. Why Warner Bros didn't do this for live action I'll never know.
5. Zombieland
I had a blast with this movie. I dare say I loved this more than Shaun of the Dead. I really dug the cast, Woody Harrelson was just epic. He killed everytime he was on screen. It was funny, surprisingly heartwarming, and possibly the greatest cameo appearence since Neil Patrick Harris in Harold and Kumar.
4. The Hangover
I loved this movie. I went to see it twice and it held up perfectly both times. I'm a big fan of Zach Galifinakis' stand up and he was just as hillarious here. He, Bradely Cooper, and Ed Helmes had perfect chemistry, they played off each other so well. I loved the writting, it wasn't hackneyed it was very clever and grounded, I can't pick a favorite moment becuase this flick had so many great ones.
3. Black Dynamite
This movie surpassed Hangover as my favorite comedy of the year. I quote this movie every day, I nearly died laughing. For Michael Jai White, this movie instantly washes away all the fail from Spawn, he was perfect. This movie was a great parody, but it was also a great movie in it;s own right. I knew exactly what it was and it delivered everything I was expecting from it.
2. Star Trek
I have no complaints about this movie. It had a spectacular cast, with special nods to Chris Pine, Zach Quinto, Simon Pegg, and Karl Urban, great dialogue, it cut away all the boring technobabble and got down to what made the original series fun. This movie did a great job of rebooting the franchise, not mucking up the original continuity, and made it work. This movie was my favorite of the year, until this movie came out....
1. Turtles Forever
This is the best Ninja Turtles movie ever of all times, for realz. It was everything I could have hoped for. It had a good story, it was funny, genuinely funny. Nothing was forced, just the interactions of all the different TMNT incarnations was classic. The animation was in top form here, the expressions and movements and fight scenes just looked incredible. It was great to see the old cartoon Turtles again, and while I was disapointed that they didn't use the original VA's and the sillyness was overdone a bit, I still loved seeing them. I'll do a full review of this later on, but words can't express how happy this movie made me. I'm still grinning with joy over seeing it. Cowa-fucking-bunga!
Movies I've still yet to see that I feel i should: Extract, Princess and the frog, Up, Up in the Air, The Men Who Stare at Goats, Ninja Assassin
Not the End
Before I get into it, let me get the Honorable Mentions out of the way. I loved these flicks, but they just didn't make the cut:
Green Lantern First Flight, Observe and Report, Sherlock Homes, Avatar, and Inglorious Basterds
10. Paranormal Activity
I believed everything about this movie. Nothing felt fake, or forced, I was genuinely terrified. I could feel myself tense up at all the right parts, very well put together. I would dare say it's my favorite horror film of all time, mainly because it focuses on the horror.
9 Superman/Batman Public Enemies
I'm a big fan of the Superman/Batman dynamic, I thought it was really utilized well here. I felt the film was better than the book, and made more sense. Aside from some complaints about the animation and the waste of Levar Burton's talent, I still felt this movie got it right. Plus it's always great to hear Tim Daly, Clancy Brown, and Kevin Conroyback in their respective roles/
8. District 9
This was such an amazing movie. In terms of filmaking, this is probably the best film on my list. It's well acted, it's got a strong message, and the action scenes are just badass. I really hope this flick gets a Best Picture nod. Hell, I hope it wins.
7. Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
I love Miyazaki. So it's no surprise I loved this flick. It was sweet, had a great story, the animaton is absolutely beautiful. I can't find anything wrong with it. It's standard Miyzaki, it's epic. I'm still hesitent to call it the best animated movieof the year, but it's the best one I've seen.
6. Wonder Woman
As amazing as Ponyo was, I still really love Wonder Woman a little more. Being a comic geek it's no surprise I dig this movie, but I also dig it as an animation fan. It's got a great, simple story that does an excellent job at introducing Wonder Woman and her supporting cast, it's got great voice acting, great animation, and it's genuinely funny when it wants to be. Why Warner Bros didn't do this for live action I'll never know.
5. Zombieland
I had a blast with this movie. I dare say I loved this more than Shaun of the Dead. I really dug the cast, Woody Harrelson was just epic. He killed everytime he was on screen. It was funny, surprisingly heartwarming, and possibly the greatest cameo appearence since Neil Patrick Harris in Harold and Kumar.
4. The Hangover
I loved this movie. I went to see it twice and it held up perfectly both times. I'm a big fan of Zach Galifinakis' stand up and he was just as hillarious here. He, Bradely Cooper, and Ed Helmes had perfect chemistry, they played off each other so well. I loved the writting, it wasn't hackneyed it was very clever and grounded, I can't pick a favorite moment becuase this flick had so many great ones.
3. Black Dynamite
This movie surpassed Hangover as my favorite comedy of the year. I quote this movie every day, I nearly died laughing. For Michael Jai White, this movie instantly washes away all the fail from Spawn, he was perfect. This movie was a great parody, but it was also a great movie in it;s own right. I knew exactly what it was and it delivered everything I was expecting from it.
2. Star Trek
I have no complaints about this movie. It had a spectacular cast, with special nods to Chris Pine, Zach Quinto, Simon Pegg, and Karl Urban, great dialogue, it cut away all the boring technobabble and got down to what made the original series fun. This movie did a great job of rebooting the franchise, not mucking up the original continuity, and made it work. This movie was my favorite of the year, until this movie came out....
1. Turtles Forever
This is the best Ninja Turtles movie ever of all times, for realz. It was everything I could have hoped for. It had a good story, it was funny, genuinely funny. Nothing was forced, just the interactions of all the different TMNT incarnations was classic. The animation was in top form here, the expressions and movements and fight scenes just looked incredible. It was great to see the old cartoon Turtles again, and while I was disapointed that they didn't use the original VA's and the sillyness was overdone a bit, I still loved seeing them. I'll do a full review of this later on, but words can't express how happy this movie made me. I'm still grinning with joy over seeing it. Cowa-fucking-bunga!
Movies I've still yet to see that I feel i should: Extract, Princess and the frog, Up, Up in the Air, The Men Who Stare at Goats, Ninja Assassin
Not the End
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Sherlock Holmes Review
Greetings Non-Believers
Stuff came up last night so I didn't a chance to do this last night, but whatever.
Last night I saw Sherlock Holmes. When I first saw the trailer for this I thought it looked awful. I thought it would be nothing but over the top explosions and rampant womanizing. But the months leading up to it my opinion began to change. After seeing it, I'm pleased to say that I had a blast watching it.
I'm not going to give away any spoilers, but I will say the story kept me hooked. It felt a little James Bond-ish at times, but that's what made it fun to watch. I also really enjoyed the way the portrayed Holmes' unorthodox methods and keen analytical skills. Having him plan out every one of his opponents moves and his counter attack in mere seconds. There's rarely a slow moment, and that's thanks to RDJ and Jude Law.
Both Downey Jr. and Law make not only an excellent Holmes and Watson, but an excellent comedic duo. The banter between the Watson (the dry-witted straight man) and Holmes (the quirky and enigmatic one) was the best part of the movie. RDJ in particular really owned the screen. His preformence reminded me a lot of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow, and just made me want to see the two of them together headlining a movie more and more. Also Mark Strong really did a good job as Lord Blackwood. He was very dark and intimidating, made for a great villain.
I don't have any major complaints. At times it felt to Bond-ish and they could have toned down the action a little more. But like I said, not a major complaint.
My dad is a hardcore Holmes fan, and he refuses to give this movie a chance. I haven't read the novels so I can say whether or not it was truly faithful. But I enjoyed the hell out of it. I'd say go see it if you want. Or not, I don't control your life. Though it would be awesome if I did, because I'd make you do really weird shit.
Not the End
Stuff came up last night so I didn't a chance to do this last night, but whatever.
Last night I saw Sherlock Holmes. When I first saw the trailer for this I thought it looked awful. I thought it would be nothing but over the top explosions and rampant womanizing. But the months leading up to it my opinion began to change. After seeing it, I'm pleased to say that I had a blast watching it.
I'm not going to give away any spoilers, but I will say the story kept me hooked. It felt a little James Bond-ish at times, but that's what made it fun to watch. I also really enjoyed the way the portrayed Holmes' unorthodox methods and keen analytical skills. Having him plan out every one of his opponents moves and his counter attack in mere seconds. There's rarely a slow moment, and that's thanks to RDJ and Jude Law.
Both Downey Jr. and Law make not only an excellent Holmes and Watson, but an excellent comedic duo. The banter between the Watson (the dry-witted straight man) and Holmes (the quirky and enigmatic one) was the best part of the movie. RDJ in particular really owned the screen. His preformence reminded me a lot of Johnny Depp's Jack Sparrow, and just made me want to see the two of them together headlining a movie more and more. Also Mark Strong really did a good job as Lord Blackwood. He was very dark and intimidating, made for a great villain.
I don't have any major complaints. At times it felt to Bond-ish and they could have toned down the action a little more. But like I said, not a major complaint.
My dad is a hardcore Holmes fan, and he refuses to give this movie a chance. I haven't read the novels so I can say whether or not it was truly faithful. But I enjoyed the hell out of it. I'd say go see it if you want. Or not, I don't control your life. Though it would be awesome if I did, because I'd make you do really weird shit.
Not the End
Monday, January 4, 2010
Going to see Sherlock Holmes Tonight
I'll do a review later tonight. If I forget, please badger the hell out of me till I do it.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
All is not right with FRED
Anyone familiar with Quickstop Entertainment dot com now most likely know that it is no more. Kevin Smith recently pulled out of it and handed the reigns over to long time Editor-in-Chief Ken Plume, who has gone on to rename the site, FRED (catchy right?). Nothing much is gonna change, except now without SModcast, the site's major source of traffic is gone.
Ever since the change there's been concerns expressed by regulars on the forums. With the new change comes new rules for the forums, trying to make it more accessible for newcomers as a way to draw in more people. A few of the regulars are concerned that this could essentially mean the end of the tight-knit community the forums have become over the past seven years.
I just want to say to everyone concerned right now to calm down. Just because there are a few new rules doesn't mean the end. Just because we'll be getting newcomers doesn't mean the social club will be destroyed. Over on the Adult Swim message boards we're getting new members every few days. It's a constantly growing community. Yet there are still groups of regulars who still socialize like normal. Yeah there are douchebags, but they come and go. The old guard still stands strong.
Look, from the short time I've been on the former QSE boards, I've seen that everyone there is close, real close, like a family. If they're concerned about newbies coming in and fucking up the way things work there, they shouldn't be. So many new people have come by and became great regulars. Any trolls that wander by will get beat with ban stick, and now we'll get less people registering just to talk to Kevin Smith and wanna avoid paying the fee to join viewaskew. Nothing has to change if you don't want it to.
The only major change in the site is the name now. Everyone will still be there, the old guard will still stand. The cool newbies will be weeded out from the trolls and spamers, and the sun will still rise in the morning. Just relax and go with the flow. And if things do go bad, I'll provide the pitchforks and torches.
Not the End
Ever since the change there's been concerns expressed by regulars on the forums. With the new change comes new rules for the forums, trying to make it more accessible for newcomers as a way to draw in more people. A few of the regulars are concerned that this could essentially mean the end of the tight-knit community the forums have become over the past seven years.
I just want to say to everyone concerned right now to calm down. Just because there are a few new rules doesn't mean the end. Just because we'll be getting newcomers doesn't mean the social club will be destroyed. Over on the Adult Swim message boards we're getting new members every few days. It's a constantly growing community. Yet there are still groups of regulars who still socialize like normal. Yeah there are douchebags, but they come and go. The old guard still stands strong.
Look, from the short time I've been on the former QSE boards, I've seen that everyone there is close, real close, like a family. If they're concerned about newbies coming in and fucking up the way things work there, they shouldn't be. So many new people have come by and became great regulars. Any trolls that wander by will get beat with ban stick, and now we'll get less people registering just to talk to Kevin Smith and wanna avoid paying the fee to join viewaskew. Nothing has to change if you don't want it to.
The only major change in the site is the name now. Everyone will still be there, the old guard will still stand. The cool newbies will be weeded out from the trolls and spamers, and the sun will still rise in the morning. Just relax and go with the flow. And if things do go bad, I'll provide the pitchforks and torches.
Not the End
Friday, January 1, 2010
I Think I Need to Trade in My X-Box 360
I got it last June, I was really psyched about it, as you can tell from my reaction...
But lately I've been regretting my decision. I lost my job a while back, so now I can't afford the subscription fee to X-Box Live anymore, not that I was using it much anyway. I'm not really fond of shooter games and the 360 doesn't really offer up any other choices.
The PS3 on the other had has been looking better and better every day. I've really wanted to play the Ratchet and Clank series for a long time now, it looks like exactly my type of game. I've heard Uncharted 2 was awesome, and DC Universe Online looks like it'll be great, plus I'm a huge DC fan.
Plus the online paly is free, and of course the built-in blu-ray player just sweetens the deal. The only two games I really play on the 360 are Street Fighter 4 and Batman: Arkham Asylum, which are both on the PS3 too.
I'm gonna try to trade my 360 in soon, but I know I'm not gonna get enough to cover the full price of the PS3. But any little bit helps.
Not The End
But lately I've been regretting my decision. I lost my job a while back, so now I can't afford the subscription fee to X-Box Live anymore, not that I was using it much anyway. I'm not really fond of shooter games and the 360 doesn't really offer up any other choices.
The PS3 on the other had has been looking better and better every day. I've really wanted to play the Ratchet and Clank series for a long time now, it looks like exactly my type of game. I've heard Uncharted 2 was awesome, and DC Universe Online looks like it'll be great, plus I'm a huge DC fan.
Plus the online paly is free, and of course the built-in blu-ray player just sweetens the deal. The only two games I really play on the 360 are Street Fighter 4 and Batman: Arkham Asylum, which are both on the PS3 too.
I'm gonna try to trade my 360 in soon, but I know I'm not gonna get enough to cover the full price of the PS3. But any little bit helps.
Not The End
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